Graham Norton, 43, was born Graham Walker in County Cork. His father was a Guinness rep, his mother a housewife. He started his career as a stand-up, but in 1997 was asked to stand in for Jack Docherty on Channel 5's talk show and soon after was named Best Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards. The next year he got his own Channel 4 chat show, So Graham Norton. He currently presents When Will I Be Famous? on Saturday night on BBC1. His new series, The Graham Norton Show, starts on Thursday on BBC2.

When were you happiest?

New Year's Eve, the year before last, on a catamaran in Cape Town.

What is your greatest fear?

Pain, particularly being tortured.

What is your earliest memory?

Being called in by my mother to watch Batman. I was maybe three or four.

Which living person do you most admire, and why?

Richard Curtis - he's a genius. I think he should be prime minister.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

I am very quick to judge.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Being ineffectual.

Aside from a property, what's the most expensive thing you've ever bought?

A Keith Haring painting.

What is your most treasured possession?

My dog, Bailey. He's a labradoodle.

Where would you like to live?

On Sheep's Head peninsula in Ireland.

What makes you depressed?

Occasionally the state of the planet can knock me off my perky perch.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

At the moment, the huge travelling trunks under my eyes.

What is your most unappealing habit?

Nail-biting and nose-picking, but then, I'm 43, so I'm not that bothered.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

I haven't met them yet - I hope.

What does love feel like?

An absolutely psychotic madness. It's a disease, not an emotion.

Who would play you in the film of your life?

Philip Seymour Hoffman. It's a new accent for him - he'll be thrilled.

What is the worst thing anyone's ever said to you?

Will Young once told me, 'I could never go out with you - it would destroy my career.'

What is your fancy-dress costume of choice?

A T-shirt that says, 'My other costume is clever'.

Have you ever said 'I love you' without meaning it?

Of course - I host a chat show.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

'I love you.'

To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?

I had a pen friend in California. In 1983, I went over to see him and I called him on the phone and didn't like his voice, so I never met him.